Cabinet Office

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why citizens of the Irish Republic resident in the UK were allowed to vote in the referendum on 23 June when passport holders from other EU countries resident in the UK were not.

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen: The franchise for the EU referendum was based on the UK Parliamentary franchise and this was debated, voted on and agreed by Parliament. As the referendum was an issue of national significance Parliament concluded that the general election franchise was the right one to use. Irish citizens resident in the UK are entitled to vote in Parliamentary elections and so were able to vote in the referendum. Citizens of other EU countries resident in the UK are not eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, with the exception of those from Cyprus and Malta which are also Commonwealth countries.